


the conditional sovereignty over the body and mind (or how a goddess claimed your soul)

by vampkomori



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Gen, Nonbinary My Unit | Byleth, Novelization, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, and damn if we wont be focusing on that, but they have Feelings now, byleth has issues with autonomy, extreme emphasis on the SLOW, going all in on those spoilers, reinterpretation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-26 10:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20741054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampkomori/pseuds/vampkomori
Summary: When you finally come face to face with the acclaimed Lady Rhea, it takes everything within you not to yell at her on the spot. The very person who took away your future - your autonomy - is standing before you, and yet here you are, forced to play nice.Not even the promise to your father can stop you from ruining her plans as best as you can.(In which Byleth finds Jeralt's Diary a lot sooner, and has more than a few words to exchange with the archbishop.)





	1. Prologue: Curiosity, the cat

**22nd Day of the Lone Moon, Imperial Year 1167 **

You weren’t mad at your father, not really. 

But one could claim that you were irritated by the fact that he didn’t take you on the next mission, and they wouldn’t be entirely off the mark.

No, they’d be quite spot on actually.

The majority of your father’s mercenary group went along with him, leaving you with Bardolph, who got injured during the last mission and thus couldn’t come along, and Honora, who’s as much of a mystery to you as you are to her.

You don’t particularly look forward to interacting with either of them today, especially since the former is likely to have drank himself into a stupor yet again and it was barely noon.

Deciding to stay in your father’s tent for the time being, you opt to rummage around a bit. The two of you don’t have many belongings outside of your weapons and a change of clothes, so you don’t expect to find anything noteworthy. It’s to calm your nerves, more or less.

A rusty old sword, a stamp and the associated wax, a wooden flask - seems like he forgot to take it along - some bowstring, a leather-bound book.

Except that one doesn’t look like the books you’ve come to know? There’s an intricate design etched into the leather instead of a title, and a couple of ribbons are stuck between the pages. It seems more worn, and, strangely enough, has a lock adorning its cover. 

Surprisingly, it’s unlocked. Its contents are free for you to peruse.

You hesitate, initially. This seems to be your father’s journal, and while you are still somewhat… vexed at being left behind, you’re not sure that you want to go as far as to invade his privacy. But you aren’t one to mock someone for their personal thoughts, and you wouldn’t simply share its contents with anyone you met. Really, there is no better person to share their innermost thoughts and secrets with than you. Besides, you can’t really imagine he had many interesting events to write about. Mercenaries don’t have particularly interesting lives, save for the occasional humorous incident that may happen.

Having made up your mind, you decide to take a peek into the book. You’re a little surprised at how neat his handwriting is, you wouldn’t have expected him to put so much care into a diary. At the very least you won’t have to worry about not being able to make sense of something.

He must’ve been in the middle of writing if he forgot to lock it, so you decide to take a look at the most recent entry.

Day 22 of the Lone Moon. Cloudy.

Our next client awaits in Sreng. 

The political climate between Sreng and the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus has been tense lately.

I don’t want us to remain here any longer than we have to.

Byleth has been making great strides in their weaponry training. Maybe I’ll be able to take them along soon enough.

The implication that you aren’t quite good enough yet to be brought along stings somewhat, but you push the feeling aside. Soon enough is certainly better than “not ready whatsoever”. You’ll just have to be patient a while longer.

That said, you’ll make sure to train even harder in the time he’s gone - surprise him, in a way. He’ll see how serious you’re taking your training and might take you along earlier. 

Abandoning your thoughts for the time being, you flip to a random page and keep reading. 

Day 13 of the Great Tree Moon. Sunny.

A letter arrived this morning for Johann. 

He seemed more zealous than usual, saying that he had to leave for Morfis immediately. Up and left without as much as a goodbye. 

Only the goddess knows what he’s up to now. If and when he returns, I’ll have to drill some manners into that kid.

“Johann”? You don’t remember anyone by that name ever being in your father’s company. Seems like this diary is a lot older than you imagined. You wonder if he ever returned?

The earlier pages are - just as you expected - mostly anecdotes of his everyday life. There’s a lot of names you don’t recognize, and the entries span over several years. 

As much as you’d like to know of your father’s life before you came into it, you know you’d end up being all too curious about what happened to some of his former colleagues that no longer seem to be in his company. And, as you have established, you don’t intend to let anyone know of your roguery, least of all your father. 

You stick your head out of the tent for a moment, just to make sure you’re not going to be disturbed and caught red-handed. Bardolph has apparently already passed out and barely made it into his tent - you can see his legs sticking out of it. Unexpectedly, you find Honora not only within view but also mindlessly carving away at some branch. She’s usually very elusive and difficult to read, not to mention that her piercing gaze always leaves you feeling cold. It’s not that you don’t trust her, she just unnerves you somewhat. Despite this, she’s not particularly intimidating - hardly, considering how she always throws her arms around Denise whenever she comes back from a mission, or how often Denise makes fun of her for it. It’s kind of sickeningly sweet. You always end up feeling like you’re intruding on a private moment though, so you try to look away most of the time. 

You determine that probably no one is going to disturb your curious exploits, and decidedly flip forward a few pages.

Day 25 of the Horsebow Moon. It’s raining.

The baby doesn’t laugh or cry. Not ever.

Lady Rhea says not to worry, but a baby that doesn’t cry...isn’t natural.

I had a doctor examine the child in secret.

He said the pulse is normal, but there’s no heartbeat. No heartbeat!

Upon reading the last words, you snap the book shut. Although you know of your various quirks and other oddities, you don’t think the lack of a heartbeat is a widespread one. Your resolve to read your father’s journal falters somewhat, and you slowly crawl back towards your bedroll.

Stumbling upon the circumstances of your birth wasn’t something you had planned. You would have been perfectly content with a simple collection of anecdotes and short remarks. It seems like fate had other plans, however.

You almost want to pretend none of this happened - that you never opened this book in the first place. Confronting this isn’t something you want to do. So far you’ve gone through life with a simple “I don’t know” whenever your strange behaviour was brought into question, and now, suddenly, the answer - the reason - for being the way your are is in your grasp and you want nothing more than to hide away and return to the way things have been. 

And yet you know that this wouldn’t be right. As easy as it would be to simply pretend, disregard, and ignore what you saw, you wouldn’t feel at peace. 

Frustrated with yourself, you get up and take the journal back into your hands. 

Day 20 of the Horsebow Moon. All is cloudy.

I can’t believe she’s dead. 

Lady Rhea said she died during childbirth.

But is that the truth?

And still, the child she traded her life for doesn’t make a sound. Didn’t even cry at birth.

This entry was written a day after you were born. It’s somewhat difficult to swallow, still, but you are more perplexed by this “Lady Rhea” your father keeps mentioning. Was she the midwife? A close associate? 

She must’ve been of considerable status if he refers to her as “Lady” Rhea. 

Regardless of their relationship, you wonder why he doesn’t talk about her anymore. Or what happened to her, for that matter. 

You’re faced with a dilemma of sorts. You really want to meet this Rhea, considering she was present at your birth and seems to know...something about the state of your heart. Who in their right mind would tell someone not to worry about a missing heartbeat unless they knew more than they let on?

However, this would mean coming clear about your nosiness to your father.

He won’t be back for another two nights, so you’ll have enough time to ponder about your decision. You’d rather get this out of the way as soon as possible though, you don’t want to think about this any more than you have to. 

It’s noon now, so you have to set this little project aside and gets starting on making lunch. After all, you have a long day of training ahead of you. 

You return the journal back where you found it, determined to keep reading in the evening.

\---

**25th Day of the Lone Moon, Imperial Year 1167 **

The night before, you were still going over some of your father’s entries, so focused on the new influx of information that you completely lost track of time. It was daybreak when you finally finished and promptly passed out.

However many hours of rest you managed to get, you wake to the sound of horses trotting and the distant laughter of men and women alike. 

Hurriedly you return the journal to its original spot - you’ve come to know quite a bit about your father, as well as your mother. Or rather, you came to realize just how much your father loved her.

You didn’t take him for the poetry type, though.

Still a little light headed, you slowly put on your boots and coat, leaving the tent to greet your father and the others. Gautier Territory is freezing, despite the fact that spring should arrive soon. You opt to keep your blanket wrapped around yourself. This may give the impression that you’ve only just awoken - they wouldn’t be wrong - but the breeze is cold and you don’t want to fall ill.

Taking a seat on the fallen log next to the campfire, you stifle a yawn and gaze at the onslaught of people in the distance. They’re a lot further away than you expected, and definitely way too loud for whatever time in the morning it is at the moment. 

Honora walks over and hands you a bowl of pottage. You slightly grimace at the sight of it, and she glares back with a “Just eat it, kid.” as she leaves to continue eating her own. 

You didn’t mean to appear as ungrateful. Of course you’ll still eat it, you just won’t enjoy doing so. It’s not that Honora is a bad cook - far from it - the two of you simply have vastly different opinions on what constitutes as good food. For example, Osbert’s “Parnell Porridge” is made from barley and omitted the honey, making it pleasantly piquant. Honora seems to think otherwise, and dislikes it vehemently. She has since decided to be in charge of cooking most of the time, and often makes pottage or frumenty. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with that if her pottage wasn’t so runny. You suppose her frumenty is satisfactory, but only because she serves it with fish. 

You love fish. 

And fishing, for that matter. 

Maybe once you leave for someplace warmer, you can finally go fishing with your father again. 

  
  


You begrudgingly finish your pottage and saunter over to your father. The snow crunches softly beneath your boots, and alerts him to your presence almost immediately. 

“Hey, kid. Did you manage alright without me?”

You nod casually, gazing over to the other mercenaries who are talking amongst themselves. The mission must have gone well, since there doesn't seem to be anyone injured or missing. You suppose there’s no harm in asking, though. It’s only polite.

“How was the mission?” you ask, still looking at the others’ merriment. 

“Just a simple reconnaissance mission this time,” he explained. “The pay was good, but I’m just glad we didn’t get caught up in whatever political machinations they’re up to now.”

You hum, breaking your gaze and staring at your boots instead. Despite having played out how this conversation would go in your mind, you still can’t seem to find the right words to say. 

He seems to notice your internal conflict. Finished securing his horse, he crouches down and rests his hand on your shoulder. 

“Something on your mind, Byleth?” he asks, his concern clearly evident. 

Damn it, you really can’t hide this from him any longer. You take a deep breath, tugging your blanket closer to yourself. It’s time to come clean about this. 

“I read”—you try to make eye contact but break it again just as quickly—”I read your journal.”

Realization dawns upon him, and then he’s overtaken by exhaustion, a certain weariness. 

You mostly just feel ashamed. 

Pulling your blanket over your head, you try to hide away. A futile effort - you know - but it gives you a sense of comfort. Whatever your father’s response, at least you’ll still have your woolen cover. Truly one of the trustiest of armors, yet the most underrated.

When you feel a hand on your head, you look up, seeing your father smile at you. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

You exhale slowly. This is going a lot smoother than you thought it would. Maybe those fifteen contingency plans were overkill after all.

“I thought I taught you better than to rummage in other people’s belongings, though.”

Ah, there it is. Stern fatherly disappointment at its finest. It’s definitely very effective at making you regret your misdeeds. You’re still glad you read his diary, though. It gave you an answer to a question you didn’t know you’d been asking.

Your father rubs his hand over his stubble and motions over to your tent. 

“Let’s untangle this mess in private.”

  
  
  
  


He tries to fill in the gaps the diary left, mostly. Though he assures you he doesn’t know any more than what he’s already written down.

At the very least, you know a bit more about you father, as well as yourself. You were born on the 19th day of the Horsebow Moon, in the Imperial Year of 1159, making you a proud eight years old. ‘Absurdly young for you to know about all this’ he muttered, but you heard him, and you condemn his words.

Your father ruffles his hair and sighs, “Do you understand know why we can’t go back now? It’s way too dangerous.”

Albeit begrudgingly, you nod. You know he won’t budge on this one. 

Pulling your knees to your chest, you tell him you understand. This doesn’t mean you have to be happy about his decision, but you’ve already made peace with this outcome. Out of the many ways you’ve imagined this conversation going, this one was the most likely, so it doesn't come as a particular shock to you. 

Still, you’re slightly disappointed at not being able to get any answers or explanations for...your condition. As much as you’d like to know more about yourself, you’d be perfectly content with never getting any answers. 

It wouldn’t change anything.

And yet, you can't shake the feeling of betrayal from this Rhea. Your lack of a heartbeat, or...your lack of a heart, isn’t something you asked for, or expected to be dealing with. 

But...that’s all you’re lacking, really. Your pulse seems to be working just fine. Honestly, you shouldn’t be too overly concerned with the details, considering you’re still alive and well after all. 

That's how you should be feeling, you say to yourself. You shouldn't feel this...angry over it. Building resentment not at your father, but at Rhea. Your mother could hardly have had a say in this since she died during childbirth, but Rhea...she had her own agenda, her own ideas. Ideas she didn't seem keen on sharing with your father.

How could someone betray another person’s trust like that?

You’re dragged out of your maelstrom of thoughts by your father sitting down next to you. Somehow, he always manages to distract when you need it most. 

Suddenly, you feel an arm wrap around you and pull you close to his side.

“I’m sorry, Byleth. I know I shouldn’t have kept this from you. It felt right at the time but...I don’t know what I was thinking.”

He places a kiss on top of your head. “I just wanted to protect you from the truth.”

While you do fault him for his choice, you’re not mad at him. Hiding something so vital regarding your situation...well, you can’t say you would’ve done the same thing. You understand where he’s coming from, however, even if you disagree.

You lean into his side and mumble a quiet “I forgive you.”. Your situation may not be the most ideal, and the two of you might need to work on a cover story that the both of you agree upon should you run into any church officials, but...

Other than that, you think you can live like this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is genuinely the first fic i have ever written and i have absolutely no idea what im doing. 
> 
> regardless, this game has grabbed my attention like no other and basically forced my hand. i dont like how byleth is always this...outside force. they dont feel like a real part of the team, u get me? im tryna fix that essentially. a lack of a heart doesnt equal a lack of feelings, and boy if we arent going all in on those feelings. thats right. they get to joke now. 
> 
> if and when i gather the courage to write the next chapter, theyre gonna meet the boys (and edelgard)! hoo wonder how thats gonna go


	2. So this is Sothis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams are had, mysterious green little girls are met, and powerful new connections are made. (albeit said connections are...a handful to interact with)

**Tailtean Plains, Imperial Year 91**

It’s dark. 

You can hear the clashing of weapons through the cacophonous roar of the downpour. Men are screaming in pain, victory, despair. It’s deafening. The ground is trembling as you watch the onslaught spread across the entire land.

The screams grow louder and-

Suddenly, you hear a violent explosion - where once stood a troop of men, nothing but scorching hot flames and ashes remain. 

It’s as if the sun itself had fallen from the sky.

You notice the grinding of metal grow ever so closer. The smell of iron and burned flesh is unbearable, the heat only amplifying the stench.

The corpses of men look like carcasses littered on the ground.

Before you, you see a woman in armor illuminated by the morning sun. A sudden rush of emotions course through you - anger, regret, grief. You don’t know this mysterious figure, but for the first time in a long time you feel fear as you see her walking towards you.

A fight ensues, yet you are only an onlooker in this exchange of blows. You feel powerless, unable to do anything to stop this conflict. An unbearable feeling, yet one you’ve grown accustomed to.

An elongated blade whips at the woman, missing her by a hair’s breadth. Abruptly, you are hurled away from the heat of the fray.

For a short while, all you can see is the morning sky. 

You hear a voice - although you can’t make out what it’s saying - only the sound of a blade being repeatedly thrust into someone is audible.

The next thing you know is that you’re locked in an embrace with the strange woman in armor. The battle that occurred only moments before - a thing of the past. The remaining soldiers who witnessed the final struggle raising their weapons in triumph.

Somehow, you feel...relieved.

And then...

you wake.

\---

A small girl is resting on a throne.

A newfound presence awakens her. Her first proper guest in a very long time. 

Oh my. What could’ve brought you here?

Don’t you know it is most rude to interrupt a moment of repose? Very rude indeed.

There would have been a better time for you to visit, but I digress.

Now then, step closer. 

Almost involuntarily, you step into her line of view. 

My, it is wonderful to finally meet you. 

However, you do not know who I am. It seems it is I who is being rude to you!

For the sake of politeness, please introduce yourself. 

You feel the invisible reins over your body loosen slowly. This girl - you don’t recognize her, and yet a feeling of familiarity looms over you.

Looking around, you find yourself in a dimly lit chamber with no visible exits. You intend to investigate further when you feel your attention focusing on the girl again. 

We do not have time to dawdle! I suppose we’ll have to cut our meeting short.

After all, it is almost time for you to wake.

\---

**20th Day of the Great Tree Moon, Imperial Year 1180**

“Hey. Time to wake up.”

You groan slightly, heaving yourself up. The feeling of sleep still clings to you, the memory of your dreams slowly coming back.

As usual, you were dreaming about the climax of a war and a mysterious girl with green hair. Except, this time it felt more...tangible. Instead of the usual haze and blur surrounding it, it was oddly clear. 

Rubbing your eyes, you gaze out of the window. 

It’s still dark out.

Your father has always been an early riser, unfortunately. 

“Were you having that dream again? I thought they had lessened lately.”

They were growing in frequency, actually. There wasn’t any notable change outside of a prolonged sense of clarity throughout them, so you didn’t see any reason to bother him with it. Those dreams always left you feeling not like yourself, like you were a stranger in your own body. You’ve been working on keeping yourself and your dreams separated, however. They’re not yours, and won’t ever be. 

“Just the usual,” you mumble quickly. It’s not wrong, technically. It was more of a...combination this time, instead of one or the other. You’re really not up to explaining it in more detail. Honestly, you’d rather move on and forget they ever happened.

He must notice your frown, because he simply throws your coat at you. “Don’t let them get to you, kid,” he chuckles. 

It’s a hideous coat, and he loves teasing you about it. Incredibly worn, countless holes, and not particularly warm, either. He’s been urging you to get a new one, especially since your next destination is the Kingdom. The cold, freezing Kingdom, which you are not looking forward to whatsoever. You put it off for too long and now you’re standing here with a dusty, old coat. ‘I won’t be lending you mine this time,’ he warned you. But you didn’t heed his advice, and now your hubris has sealed your icy fate. 

“Everyone’s already waiting for us outside, so you should hurry along. We leave at dawn.”

You nod, quickly checking the contents of your satchel. Ointments, vulneraries, a spare dagger. That should be everything. 

Grabbing your sword, you walk towards the door only to run into an out of breath Tristan. 

“Jeralt, sir! I apologize for barging in, but your presence is needed outside.”

“What’s happened?” your father asks, clearly exasperated by this sudden development.

Instead of answering, he motions for the two of you to follow him.

Tristan leads you to the edge of the forest near the village you’ve been staying at. There are three very colorfully clad people waiting for you. Judging by their attire, you assume they must be nobles. They look...tense. What are they doing here? 

Before you can ask any questions, the blonde one speaks up. 

“Please forgive our intrusion. We wouldn’t bother you were the situation not dire.”

“What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?” your father huffs. They have no business being up this early. Or being so far from any noble estates for that matter.

“We’re being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you will be so kind as to lend your support.”

"What? Bandits? — " "Bandits? Here? — " the both of you respond, taken aback by this information. You’re the one in charge of scouting out areas, and you didn’t notice any camps or suspicious individuals a couple of days ago. 

The girl must have noticed the sceptical look on your face. “It’s true. They attacked us while we were at rest in our camp,” she adds in earnest. 

This...only adds to your growing scepticism. 

“We’ve been separated from our companions and we’re outnumbered,” the other boy elaborates. “They’re after our lives…not to mention our gold.” 

You stifle a laugh, “I don’t doubt that.” There might be some truth to their story, you suppose. These acclaimed bandits must either have escaped your notice, or arrived very suddenly. 

“I’m impressed you’re staying so calm considering the situation,” your father commends. You thought that you heard him muttering something about their uniforms afterwards, but your line of thinking is cut short by Tristan’s sudden reappearance.

“Bandits were spotted just outside the village, sir! And damn…there’s a lot of ‘em.”

“They must have followed the three of you all the way here, then,” your father groans. “We cannot abandon this village now.” 

Unsheathing your sword, you nod at him. You will have to make up for lost time later.

“Let’s move.”

\---

Despite the lack of preparation, the battle has been going fairly smoothly. The bandits are...incredibly uncoordinated. Clearly, they weren’t expecting to run into mercenaries on their quest.

You don't understand how they could have possibly slipped your notice before. 

Seeking shelter in the thicket, you order the boy with the bow to watch himself. The leader of these bandits should be somewhere near the watchtower. 

“Hey, you with the blank stare! Outta my way!”

Lacking all the subtlety in the world, the bandit leader suddenly rushes at you, axe in hand. 

Readying your weapon, you dash to the right. The bandit leader tries to follow the movement, but before he can catch sight, you strike him. He crumples to the ground, weapon still clutched in his hand.

Gathering the last of his strength, he gets up once more, loudly charging at the noble closest to him. The girl draws her dagger, yet has no intention to move out of the way.

Out of instinct, you run towards the girl and push her aside, taking the blow. 

Yet, where you should be feeling the impact of the axe, you feel...nothing. In fact, as you open your eyes and look around, you notice that your surroundings have darkened.

You find yourself back in the dimly lit chamber from your dreams.

Honestly, what did you think you were accomplishing with that little stunt of yours?!

It’s almost as if you’re trying to get us killed, you fool!

Before you, you see the green haired girl again. She sighs at the sight of you, extremely irritated.

Well, it’s fine.

You don’t know the value of our life, after all. 

As such, you won’t make an effort to protect it very well, will you? 

You’ve been hearing everything she’s been saying but none of it has really sunk in yet. Moments ago, you risked your life to save a noble, and yet you somehow find yourself not only alive but also back in one of your dreams. 

The girl only brightens when you turn to look at her questioningly. 

Well, then.

I suppose it’s up to me to guide you from now on, no?

Now, I do believe it is time for me to properly introduce myself.

My name is Sothis.

But I’m also known as... ‘The Beginning’.

You still have not quite accepted the reality of the situation. However, you’re finally able to focus on the girl before you, realizing that she just introduced herself. 

“Hello...Sothis?” you say, although it ends up sounding more like a question.

Yes, my name is Sothis. But also, ‘The Beginning’. 

Yet I do not know who once called me that... 

I have not been able to recall for a very long time.

Staring at her quizzically, you... wonder what she means by that. She’s just a little girl. One that is seemingly stuck in your mind, though still a little girl nonetheless.

You think me a mere child, don’t you? A child who forgot her own name?!

Phooey! That “child” just saved our life, you know!

What would that make you then?

Oh, she’s...asking you a question. If the one who saved you is a child, well, then that makes you... What’s lesser than a child? An infant?

Correct! Finally, you understand.

It seems you’ve earned the favour of the child living in your mind for the time being. Yet, you cannot stop thinking about what happened.

You threw yourself before an axe to save just one young girl.

But do not fret, all is well...for now.

I have stalled the flow of time.

We would have died had I not intervened.

You weren’t aware that she had a hand in this. Bowing slightly, you thank her. It’s only polite, and you do owe her a great deal. 

My, you are very welcome.

It would do neither of us well if we were to die, after all.

Though it is only momentary, time has stopped.

However did I manage that…

I did not think it possible for me to interact with the world outside.

Nothing about this situation strikes you as imaginary, considering you should long be dead by now, and you are still standing here alive as ever. You...really don’t want to think about this right now. There’s a time and place for everything. 

If what Sothis is saying is true, you would simply die once time resumes. 

When time begins again, the axe will tear into your flesh, and you will surely meet your end.

You...thought as much. Are you just stuck here forever, then? Not that Sothis wouldn’t be great company, but there’s still a great many things you were planning to do.

How reckless you are, dragging us into this!

Now, what to do…

Staying here would do neither of you much good. However, since she claims to be the one to have stopped time, you assume that she must have some kind of greater control over time itself. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say she could turn it back as well?

“Can you turn back the hands of time?”

Oh...of course! I...feel like that is something I can do.

All of a sudden, a glowing runic circle appears in front of her. 

Yes...I do believe it can be done.

My, you really are quite troublesome.

You chuckle slightly - you’ve heard that quite often. 

However, I cannot wind back time too far.

But do not fret, you are now aware of what’s to come and should be able to change the outcome.

And if not...well, you’ll simply find yourself back here once more. 

Protect yourself this time. 

The chamber, lit up by the runes that glow ever brighter, reveals itself to be made entirely out of green stone. 

And now...you truly take notice of the strange girl’s appearance. Her eyes as strikingly green as her hair, with slit pupils that differ from your own. Pointed ears and - for a split second, when she laughed - pointed teeth. Her attire almost regal, with countless intricate ornaments adorning her hair and dress.

She almost seems...divine in nature. 

Now, go… 

Yes, you who bears the flames within.

Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek…

  


You find yourself back in the forest, moments before bandit lifts himself up from the ground. 

When he rushes towards the noble girl, you dash in front of her, sword at the ready. The bandit - taken aback - loosens his grip on the axe and you disarm him with ease. He stumbles back, his remaining goons flocking towards him.

“Hey — over here!”

The other two nobles - the ones dressed in gold and blue - sprint towards the two of you. Thankfully, unharmed.

Once your father finally spots you, he trots over on horseback - looking you over and checking for any serious injuries. He looked like he was about to say something when he is interrupted by a booming voice. 

“The Knights of Seiros are here! We’ll cut you down for terrorizing our students,” the man shouts, unaware that he and his band of men missed the entire battle. He does seem to notice the remaining bandits scurrying to their escape, and calls for his men to go after them. 

Just your luck. You really didn’t expect the church to get involved in this. You glance over at your father, who only nods back at you. 

The armored knight, having sent off subordinates, rushes over to you. 

“I’m glad to see you three are unharmed! And...who’s this?”

Your father groans, muttering a quiet ‘Why him?’. He must know him personally, then. This may...complicate this somewhat. 

  


The knight seems keen on reconnecting with your father, trying to inquire after his whereabouts for the last 20 years, all the while calling him ‘Captain’. You were aware of his role as a knight of the church but you failed to consider how revered he must’ve been. 

Your father looks ready to leave, and ushers you to do the same. Hopefully, you can continue making your way towards the Kingdom. As much as the promise of payment entices you, you’d rather not get involved with the church. Not just yet, anyways. 

Alois - your father called him - seems dejected. But just as he was about to leave, he turns back around - a bright look on his face.

“Wait! This can’t be how it ends. I insist that you return to the monastery with me!”

The both of you groan, you were really hoping to avoid this. You are about to intervene when your father stops you, and speaks instead. 

“We have a job waiting for us, Alois. We really don’t have any more time to spare,” he counters, hoping to get him of his back. 

“Nonsense, I insist! At the very least, let the church repay you for what you have done here today.”

Not being able to watch this any longer, you decide to step in, “Some of our men have already gone ahead, we really cannot keep them waiting.” 

He seems dispirited by this, but still presses on, “No, really, I insist! It won’t be for long, and my men and I could really use the help escorting these three back.”

Your fathers sighs, a sign that he has given up on arguing. You shoot him a look - no, there’s still a way out of this. The others will be wondering where you are, not to mention that your client will likely be affronted by the fact that only half of you showed up. 

“I suppose there’s not helping it. But we’ll leave as soon as we are paid, understood?”

Damn it. 

You wouldn’t be surprised if he had a soft spot for his old friend and couldn’t turn down the opportunity to catch up with him. No matter, you’ll simply have to avoid being seen by any church officials. Then you can be on your merry way again. 

Alois - delighted by this - turns to you, “And who are you, kid? Are you the Captain’s child?”

“Yes, but not by blood.”

That’s got to throw them off your trail. You and your father agreed on a cover story should you ever run into the church - seems like it’s finally time to make use of it. It’s close enough to the truth that people wouldn't question it, and it helps that you’ve mostly taken after your mother in appearance. 

Before he can inquire any further, your father sighs again, shifting his attention away from you.

“What’s troubling you, Captain? You aren’t about to run off again, are you?”

“Even I wouldn’t dare run from the Knights of Seiros,” he mutters, walking ahead with Alois and leaving you behind. 

He has run once, though, and managed fairly well for a couple years even.

Knights of Seiros… They do seem rather skilled.

Surprised by the sudden voice, you flinch back. You had completely forgotten about your little...incident earlier. In all honesty, you were hoping you had imagined it.

You don’t understand why she’s suddenly able to communicate with you outside of your dreams, much less see fit to do so without any warning! 

A light laugh echoes from within your mind. 

Ah, it seems your presence is required.

Get going!

You were about to reprimand her before you notice the three nobles expectedly looking over to you.

Oh, you had...also forgotten about them. 

Clearing your throat, you walk over to them. Hopefully, they didn’t hear the Sothis’ voice.

“I appreciate your help back there. Your skill is beyond question,” the girl commends. 

Now that you don’t have the threat of bandits looming over you, you can finally take a closer look at the three of them. 

In front of you stands the noble in blue. The blonde has an amicable air around him. He seems...soft-spoken. Out of the three of them, he appears the most proper. 

To your left is the other boy, dressed with a golden cape and a mischievous smile. He looks like he survives by his wits and charm alone, and successfully so.

Lastly, the girl has pale white hair, and an aura of authority surrounding her. She doesn’t look like someone who’d take ‘No’ for an answer. You don’t think anyone would want to risk doing so, either. 

“...Oft praised as the strongest knight to ever live. Have I missed anything?”

You definitely missed whatever she was talking about. Great, you’re making a terrible first impression already. 

“Probably not,” you respond. Definitely an unsatisfactory answer, but that’s the price you pay for your inattention. 

She seems rightfully disappointed by this, quietly muttering, “I...see.”

The dark haired boy is amused by this exchange. Well, at least someone’s entertained.

“Hey! You are coming with us to the monastery, right?”

“Yes—”

“Of course you are. I’d love to bend your ear as we travel,” he says, not giving you the opportunity to respond. 

Before you can say anything else, he continues once more, “Oh, I should mention that the three of us are students—”

“At the monastery nearby. I’m familiar,” you retaliate. You do know some things, despite your earlier blunder.

He only smirks in response. 

“We were doing some training exercises when those bandits attacked. I definitely got the worst of it,” he explains.

The girl scowls at him, “That would be because you ran off.”

“Too true! I was the first to make a strategic retreat.” 

You stare at him, unimpressed.

This doesn’t seem to stop him. Continuing to defend himself, he elaborates, “Everything would have worked out if these two hadn’t followed me and ruined everything.”

It’s the other two who glower at him this time. He’s just digging himself into a deeper hole now, and you’re only mildly impressed by his dedication.

“Really, it’s because of them that every single one of those bandits chased after us. Utterly ridiculous.”

The blonde joins in, “Ah, so that’s what you were thinking, Claude. And here I thought you were acting as a decoy for the sake of us all.”

Finally, a name. You’ve been getting tired of referred to them by their physical characteristics.

“His intentions were clear as day,” the girl remarks. “You will prove a lacking ruler if you cannot see the truth behind a person’s words.”

He chuckles lightly, “You will prove a lacking ruler yourself—”

They’re simply arguing with each other at this point, and you do not have much interest in staying in their company while they do so. Are nobles always this exhausting?

As you turn to leave and catch up with your father, their attention seems to shift back towards you again. 

“Ah, do please wait a moment—”

“Please consider lending your—”

You rub your temples.

“I’m just a mercenary. If what I do is impressive, I fear for your soldiers.”

This seems to quieten them down somewhat. 

The dark haired boy - Claude, you recall - shakes his head at them. 

“Sheesh, you two sure are hasty. Trying to recruit someone you just met. Tactless, really.”

Unexpectedly, it seems like he’s the only one with manners here.

“I was personally—”

“No,” you shoot back. Turns out none of them have manners. Claude is just less direct about it. 

Before anyone else can object, you see Alois walking towards you. ‘Finally,’ you think. Your father must have sent him, because you don’t think he would’ve willingly stopped talking to him. He seems the type to talk forever if you just let him. 

“All right, that’s enough with the small talk. It’s time to head back to the monastery!”

“Looks like we’ll have to pick this up another time,” Claude teases, and then has the audacity to wink at you. 

My, my. They are in such a hurry.

You know....Each of the three is most unique.

Startled, you flinch back again. You weren’t expecting to hear from her so soon. Though, you must agree with her. They all seem...peculiar. 

You felt uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gaze of the noble girl. Hopefully, you managed to lower her expectations of you somewhat by your lukewarm response earlier. 

The blonde, despite the fact that none of them have manners of any kind, still seems like the most proper. You feel like he couldn’t tell a lie to save his life. There’s something...off about him, however, but you can’t quite place it.

The most striking thing about Claude was his easy smile - playful yet knowing. You don’t think you’d want to be on his bad side, though. He seems like the kind of person who knows more than he lets on. 

Yes, I thought quite the same. 

You think you hear a...yawn? 

I am so sleepy once again…

I may be sleeping...but I…

And without any warning, she disappears once more. You were hoping to ask her some questions, but it seems like that will have to wait until she...wakes up again?

You have a creeping suspicion about her, but you push the thought down to catch up with the others instead.

\---

**22nd Day of the Great Tree Moon, Imperial Year 1180**

The journey to Garreg Mach Monastery took a lot longer than you would’ve liked. Two days by foot - time you’ve mostly spent talking to the Knights of Seiros and - regrettably - the three nobles.

Having since learned their names, you also learned that they’re just about the most influential kids in all of Fódlan.

Just your luck, you thought. Of course you’d have to save them of all people, it couldn't have just been some minor, less-significant nobles. No, it had to be the heir apparents to the three countries.

Needless to say, you had a...minor crisis over how you had treated them before knowing who they were, given that they could choose to have you executed for your insolence at any given moment.

Admittedly, you were overreacting a little.

You’ve calmed down significantly since then, however. That sudden revelation just got a bit to your head, but once you took another look at the three you realized that, really, they’re just like everyone else. Also, while they might be around your age, they’re also wildly inexperienced and still somewhat naive. You could easily take them should the need arise.

During your journey, they were still relentless in their pursuit to recruit you to their side. Arguments, as well as petulant bickering, were unfortunately very common. Claude was to blame for initiating them most of the time, but Edelgard and Dimitri were masterful at throwing passive aggressive remarks back and forth at each other. 

Occasionally, your father would converse with them in your stead, for when you were too tired to deal with their antics.

Yet, when he first returned, all he had to say was that they were ‘delightful kids’ and ‘nothing like you had described at all’. 

Traitors, the lot of them. Why is it that they act so differently towards you? Or were they purposefully trying to make a fool out of you?

Regardless, the journey as a whole was...bearable, at best.

Your father had been forced to send off a message to the other half of your mercenary band - the ones that were making their way towards the Kingdom. A simple ‘We ran into some trouble and won’t be able to rejoin for a while’ letter. 

You don’t like how much emphasis he put on the ‘while’, but you suppose it’s best to account for any other disturbances. Still, you like to think that everything will go smoothly and that you’ll be back on the road in no time.

A voice shakes you out of your thoughts, just as you finally reach the end of the forest and a vast expanse of open land enters your view.

“There it is...Garreg Mach Monastery.”

In the distance there’s a cluster of mountains, and a jagged pathway that leads to a giant structure atop.

Given the size of this structure, you feel...a little intimidated. Your father had described the monastery to you a few times, but the sheer size of it never quite hit you.

In any case, it won’t be much longer before you arrive - a few hours at best. 

You take a deep breath and think, well, whatever happens, you’ll handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am a very slow writer but here it finally is!!
> 
> updates are Definitely not going to be consistent at all since im mostly doing this for myself and uni is starting on monday so ill have even Less free time.
> 
> im incredibly excited for the next chapter though, considering we Finally get to argue with rhea and meet our new friends. leonie, i Will do you justice. i have a newfound appreciation for her and ill be damned if im not gonna reflect that here
> 
> anyway, i hope this was enjoyable!! see you...whenever??


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